Mr. Geyer

c. THE NGARE NAIROBI SCHOOL:

Chambers arrived with 17 new recruits and at a conference in November 1928 the following was recorded: "The conference recommends to the Executive committee that a European school be opened immediately at Ngare Nairobi near Moshi in Mr, Geyer's house by Mr. and Mrs. Boothe, on the condition that, the Government pays the rent of £5 per month, and makes a grant of £50 toward necessary improvements, and that an application be made for a boarding grant for each European child in residence at this school. "

This was a very unspectacular and tentative beginning, but it was a beginning. There were in 1929 19 children living in rough and temporarily converted farm buildings; the area was remote and difficult of access; there was a problem of water supply and at night lions could be heard drinking such water as there was; the Headmaster was issued with a game licence so that he could shoot the school's meat supply and Boothe and his wife were in fact the only staff.

There were other problems too. Some of the fees were not paid., the settlers were unable to finance the scheme on their own and the mission was not prepared to underwrite it from its scanty resources for African work. Boothe apparently proved to be an unsatisfactory person who was unhappy living in such isolation, discontented with his personal allowance, critical of the Bishop and involved heavily in debt, both personally and in the school's finances.

This foray into non-African work was obviously not a success and after one year, the mission withdrew altogether from the school and re-allocated Boothe to a training college for native pastors. Boothe tried to transfer to the Government teaching service in September 1929, but was not accepted. He then resigned from the mission and was employed by the West Kilimanjaro Planters Association who took over the school in. January 1930.

This scheme of management did not work either, and in September 1930 the settlers appealed to the Governor who assumed direct control of the school. Boothe was then employed by the Government on a month to month basis until August 1932 when he was given 8 days notice of retrenchment and repatriated to U.K.

This first attempt had been unsuccessful and had left both the Government and the Mission in an embarrassing position. The school struggled on with men called Stowell and Feelie as Headmasters between 1931 and 1933. It is not clear from the records just when Boothe left the school or whether the other two men had successive or joint responsibility. (See Appendix N.)